diff --git a/tests/PerformanceHarness/performance_test_basic.py b/tests/PerformanceHarness/performance_test_basic.py
index a86f778929..5fc66778b9 100755
--- a/tests/PerformanceHarness/performance_test_basic.py
+++ b/tests/PerformanceHarness/performance_test_basic.py
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ def __post_init__(self):
 
             def configureValidationNodes():
                 validationNodeSpecificNodeosStr = ""
+                validationNodeSpecificNodeosStr += '--p2p-accept-transactions false '
                 if "v2" in self.nodeosVers:
                     validationNodeSpecificNodeosStr += '--plugin eosio::history_api_plugin --filter-on "*" '
                 else:
@@ -137,6 +138,7 @@ def configureValidationNodes():
 
             def configureApiNodes():
                 apiNodeSpecificNodeosStr = ""
+                apiNodeSpecificNodeosStr += "--p2p-accept-transactions false "
                 apiNodeSpecificNodeosStr += "--plugin eosio::chain_api_plugin "
                 apiNodeSpecificNodeosStr += "--plugin eosio::net_api_plugin "
                 if "v4" in self.nodeosVers: